The new, second edition of this comprehensive text boasts coverage that is both expanded and reconfigured to focus on the most critical topics and the most up-to-date approaches in forensic psychiatry. The first edition rapidly became the gold standard in this maturing discipline because it was the first textbook designed and written for both the general clinician and the forensic psychiatrist.

This edition retains that versatility and extends its scope to include new issues in the field. New features include:

A chapter on forensic geriatric psychiatry, a topic that grows in importance as our population ages

A chapter on forensic psychiatry and the Internet, which poses questions and raises issues that become more salient every day

An extensively revised chapter on psychological testing that addresses the administration and interpretation of the most current instruments in use in the field.

In addition, the Textbook has preserved the features that made it so successful in its first edition, updating them to reflect current knowledge and practice. These include:

An index of legal cases that provides the foundational knowledge and navigational tools to identify relevant precedents easily

Chapters that are organized around case examples and include reviews of key concepts, practical guidelines, and references for further reading. A study guide is also available to assist in teaching or preparing for the forensic board examination

A revised and updated chapter on ethics that takes into account the ongoing evolution and clarification of the ethical role of forensic psychiatrists

Thorough coverage of what it takes to set up and manage a forensic practice and deal with key players in law enforcement and the legal system

Detailed information about the role and responsibilities of the expert witness

A survey of the different categories of legal cases, including malpractice, disability, competency, and criminal

A detailed glossary of legal terms

Practicing psychiatrists, psychiatric residents, and those enrolled in forensic fellowship programs, as well as other mental health professionals, will find The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Forensic Psychiatry, Second Edition a well-organized, truly practical text and reference.

"As I previously reviewed the first edition of this book, my focus was to determine if this edition maintained the original's quality while adding recent, useful information. Readers of this edition will not be disappointed. The combination of theory and practical application is book's best asset, and the recent addition of subspecialty areas of forensic practice (including child and adolescent and geriatric issues, malingering, and psychological testing) provides its most weighty contributions. The real value of these chapters lies in the rich case examples and thoughtful and stimulating expert discussion which follows them."—Doody Enterprises, Inc., Steven T. Herron, MD, 12/1/2011

"This is a well-written, thoughtfully organized compendium of information relevant to forensic psychiatry. This book should be part of the library of every clinician who has an interest in or clinical practice related to forensic psychiatry."—Barry Morenz, M.D., Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 12/1/2011

Robert I. Simon, M.D., is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Program in Psychiatry and Law in the Department of Psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. He is also Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Suburban Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland.

Liza H. Gold, M.D., is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Director of the Program in Psychiatry and Law in the Department of Psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C.